Sans Trinamool, all party meet comes near consensus on hub

Kolkata, Sep 3 (UNI) Amid the absence of the Trinamool Congress, the main Opposition in West Bengal, an all-party meeting today came near consensus on setting up the proposed chemical hub at Nayachar in East Midnapore district with adequate safeguards against environmment pollution.

Attended by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Industry Minister Nirupam Sen, the meeting agreed in principle to give go ahead to execution of the project, which had been in the centre of storm, in the river island located near Nandigram and Haldia.

'' The Congress agreed that the project, to be set up on the basis of a decision of the Centre, is necessary for the intrest of the state. The Congress and all other parties present at today's meeting also agreed that Nayachar, which is largely without human habitation, could be site for it, '' the Industry Minister told mediapersons.

Mr Sen, who described the outcome of the meeting as 'positive', however, said the Congress would discuss the issue inside the party and shortly get back to the Government with a final decision.

'' I think the uncertainty over the chemical hub is almost over,'' he said in reply to a question.

Apart from the Congress and the CPI(M), the meeting was attended by all the Left Front partners and the Gorkha National Liberation Front(GNLF) and Jharkhand Party(N).

Opposing the concept of a chemical hub on the ground of environmental pollution, the Trinamool Congress had declared its decision to boycot the meeting.

The SUCI, another Opposition party, also stayed out of it.

Mr Sen said the all-party meeting resolved that an advisory committee, comprising environment experts, be set up to assess the possible effects of the propsed hub, which would require about 10,000 acre of land.

The state government had earlier decided that the project would be an extension of Haldia petrochemical zone.

Indian Oil Corporation(IOC), the anchor investor of the project, would set up a 15-million ton chemical refinery in the proposed hub in addition to the existing one at Haldia.

To a question, Mr Sen said the Trinamool Congress was officially invited to attend the meeting, but did not give any reply.

UNI